Terrorism in New York — effect of the war on business, &c., &c.
Extract of a letter, dated New York, April 30th:
The spirit of terrorism and proscription prevatling in New York is illustrated by the following case:
A Mr. Goodwin came recently from
Mississippi, with $50,000 to pay the interest on some railroad bonds, he being an officer or agent of the road.
He also brought some money to pay the interest on some trust funds.
He put up at the
St. Nicholas Hotel, but he had not been long there before
a Mr. Dehon, a man doing business in Wall street, and a prominent Black Republican, had him arrested as a spy. His trunks were seized, opened and inspected in presence of
General Wool, without the shadow of law or authority.
Fortunately for
Mr. Goodwin, he was known by a number of bankers and business men in New York, who stepped forward to his rescue, (?) and caused his immediate release.
Several Southern families, alarmed at the terrorism exercised over them, and the mean and unmanly suspicion to which they are subjected, have either left or are preparing to do so.
One venerable Virginian, whose head is white with the frost of seventy years, is preparing to leave, which he has done at the sacrifice of over $7,000 in one species of property alone.
He says that he is likely to reach
Virginia a ruined man, with nothing left but honor, and an atmosphere of liberty.
This venerable man is about the height of
General Scott, and what is more, they were both at school together in William and Mary's College,
Williamsburg.
A Virginia Banking House has wound up at heavy sacriflees and left.
Several merchants are also winding up and getting ready to leave.
The
Herald tries to persuade them that they can remain with impunity unmolested by a mob. But after the experience of
Mr. Goodwin, and after a Virginian's house in
Brooklyn was visited at night by a mob, while the husband was absent, and his wife, surrounded by her frigh tened children, was compelled to put out a flag, it is not likely that advice will amount to much.
The only plea put forward by the mob are the thousand and one lies circulated to produce excitment at the
North about the treatment of Northern men at the
South.
New York, with all its warlike fury, and the sums lavished by its aristocracy to send Democrats to subdue and annihilate the
South, begins to feel the pangs inflicted by a civil war.
Real estate is unsaleable and depreciating.--Not a new house is to be commenced.
Masons and carpenters are thrown out of employment.
Manufactures and ship building are arrested.
Heavy failures among merchants are of daily occurrence.
Within a week some twelve or fifteen have failed.
These include the reported failure of two large Republican house, viz.:
Holmes,
Bowen & Co. and Clafflin,
Mellen & Co. Several grocery and other houses have also stopped.
This is only the begining of what is to come if this civil war goes on. Although the deposits in bank are large, such is the want of confidence that commercial paper can scarcely be negotiated at any price.
Good paper was hawking in Wall street yesterday at 12 a 15 per cent. to 2 per cent. a month, and the paper of one grocery house was actually offered at 5 per cent. a month.
City impro?ements have been arrested, streets are to go unpaved.
The city tax will have to be increased on depreciated property.
Lincoln's Government will soon be deprived of revenue.
The goods imported at this port the past week amounted to only about $300,000, against $1,250,000 for the same period last year.
While the importations of goods have thus been cut off by a prohibitory tariff, the war troubles compel importers and jobbers to keep their present supplies on hand unsold.
Foreign goods, if sold at all, do not bring scarcely the cost of manufacturing them.
Domestic goods are very little better off. With the exception of brown and
heavy goods for export, they sell below the cost of manufacturing them.
Good styles of prints can be had at 6 cts. per yard.
Mills which continue to run at the
East are losing money.
Vessels (a large number) hither to engaged in the
Southern coast trade, are being laid up at the docks to rot.
Of all the 15,000 or 20,000 men, a large majority of them volunteered from classes thrown out of employment under
Lincoln's rule, and have been sent off by the aristocracy for fear of having to feed them at home or to submit to attacks on their property.
The aristocrats have struck for a central and military or limited monarchy government.
They have determined to exterminate free suffrage and never to return to it. To accomplish this grand scheme they aim, as the
Southern States have always been democratic, to conquer and destroy them.
And one rumor is that they petitioned
England to help them, to accomplish this purpose.
It is said, that as an inducement to her to do this, they propose to form a government, and invite a son of the
Queen to become its sovereign, under the protectorate of the mother country.
Be this as it may, you may rest assured that the aristocratic Federalists at the
North have a grand scheme on foot, which they, under pretence of saving the bunting and the
Union, intend to play out with a bold hand, let ruin and the loss of liberty to the masses fall where it may. Let the people watch; ‘"The price of liberty is eternal vigilance."’
Henry
P. S.--The plan of the
Government comprehends the occupation of
Norfolk,
Richmond, and
Fredericksburg before the 23d of May. H.
